Playing career[edit]

Dodge played quarterback at Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur, Texas, under coach Ronnie Thompson where he set several state records. As a senior in 1980, Dodge set the record for most passing yards in a season and became the first quarterback in Texas high school football history to pass for more than 3,000 yards in a season (3,135 yards). That same season, he led Jefferson High to the 1980 Class 5A state championship game against Permian High School of Odessa, Texas.[3] He also set Texas high school records for most career completions (382) and most completions in a season (221); while finishing his career with the second most career passing yards behind Gary Kubiak. [4]

Dodge went on to play quarterback at the University of Texas at Austin under coach Fred Akers. From 1982-1983, Dodge was a backup quarterback, though he did get his first start as a freshman in the 1982 Sun Bowl when Robert Brewer broke his hand 5 days before the game. In that game the #8 Longhorns were upset by North Carolina 26-10, in the snow, with Dodge going 6-22 for just 50 yards.[5]

In 1983, Dodge was named the starter for the opening game, but a shoulder injury in the final preseason scrimmage on Sept. 9,[6] sidelined him for a month and he didn't reclaim the starting role until early November. In late October he twice came in off the bench to replace starter Rob Moerschell and rally the Longhorns to wins. He came in late to throw the go-ahead touchdown pass in the 15-12 win over SMU,[5] and early the following week to lead the Longhorns to a 20-3 win over Texas Tech.[7] The next week he got his first start of the season in a 9-3 lackluster win over Houston.[8] But after struggling in the TCU game the next week and being replaced by Moerschell,[9] he didn't play the remainder of the year. Despite the quarterback troubles that resulted in rotating starters, the Longhorns went undefeated during the regular season and, but for a disappointing loss to Georgia in the Cotton Bowl, would have won the national championship.

The Longhorns entered the 1984 season ranked #4 with Dodge again as the starter. The team started with back-to-back wins over ranked opponents, #11 Auburn and #4 Penn State. Texas rose to a #1 ranking, which it lost after a controversial 15-15 tie to #3 Oklahoma, but went on to win 3 more games, including a win over #14 SMU to start the season 6-0-1. But the title run was ended during a 29-15 loss to Houston in which Dodge threw 0 completions in his first 13 passes (but 4 of his 5 record interceptions) and was benched for Bret Stafford. Dodge led the team to a win over #12 TCU the next week, but lost again to Baylor in the following game - while setting school records for single season passing yards and completions. The season finished with two more losses, to Texas A&M when Dodge was benched for Stafford, and to Iowa in the 1984 Freedom Bowl when the Longhorns gave up 55 points, the most since 1904.[5]

Dodge and Stafford entered the 1985 season in the middle of a heated quarterback battle, which Stafford won.[10] After splitting time in the first three games, Dodge got a chance to retake the quarterback position when Stafford was pulled six plays into the Oklahoma game. But Dodge threw 2 interceptions and could only muster 53 yards, so Stafford started again the next week against Arkansas. Dodge would not see significant playing time again until the final game of the regular season when he came off the bench versus Texas A&M to score the Longhorns only touchdown all day.

Dodge finished with a career record of 9-5-1 and several passing records. He still ranks ninth on the UT all-time passing list with 2,791 yards and stands ninth in TD passes with 18. His 359 passing yards in Texas' 44–16 win over Rice in 1985 stood as the Longhorn single-game record for 13 years before James Brown broke it with a 397-yard passing day against Texas Tech in 1997.[11] Dodge's passing effort currently ranks fourth on the UT single-game chart, behind Major Applewhite, Colt McCoy, and Brown. His 96 yard touchdown pass to Donovan Pitts in the 1985 Rice game is still tied for the second longest in school history.

Records[edit]

Texas High School Record- Most passing yards, season (3,135), surpassed by Wilbur Odom in 1986

High school coaching career[edit]

I was very blessed to know when I was 17 years old that I wanted to go into coaching. And that I had the opportunity to play at the University of Texas, where I don't know that you can have a better training ground to be a coach.

After a two-year stint as an assistant coach at North Texas, Dodge coached at three different high schools during the next six seasons. In 2000, he became head coach at Southlake Carroll, where coach Bob Ledbetter had won 3A state championships in 1988, 1992 and 1993. Southlake Carroll had since moved up to Class 4A and was designated as a Class 5A high school, the largest classification in Texas. During his seven seasons at Southlake Carroll, Dodge's teams earned a 98–11 record overall. In 2002, the school won its first 5A (Division II) state championship with a 45–14 victory over Smithson Valley High School. A year later, Southlake Carroll lost the championship game by one point to Katy High School.

During Dodge's tenure, the team began a winning streak in 2004 that lasted until 2007 and tied Abilene High School's record from the 1950s. Dodge's teams won three consecutive 5A state championships during that span. Each championship squad was recognized as mythical national champions by either USA Today (2004, '06) or National Prep Poll (2004, '05). Schutt Sports named Dodge "National Coach of the Year" in 2004. USA Today gave him the title in 2005. After the 2006 season, Dodge left Southlake Carroll to coach at the University of North Texas.

2007[edit]

During his first season as head coach, UNT went 2-10. Dodge's spread offense averaged 408.4 total yards and 24.8 points per game while giving up 39 sacks.[13] Dodge brought most of his original college coaching staff from the high school ranks, and the team struggled to compete against non-conference and Sun Belt foes. UNT's defensive squad, directed by Ron Mendoza, gave up an FBS-worst 45.1 points per game.[14] Soon after the season ended, Dodge dismissed Mendoza.[15]

2008[edit]

For the 2008 season, Dodge hired Gary DeLoach as the team's new defensive coordinator. Deloach had a terrific run as UNT's secondary coach from 1998 to 2000 and was a fan favorite for his stellar work as defensive coordinator from 2000 to 2002.[16] Even with dramatically improved coaching, the Mean Green defense lacked experienced, developed talent. The defense allowed 47.6 points per game in 2008, the worst number at the FBS level that year. The offense also regressed, averaging only 20.0 points per game and allowing 25 sacks.[17] The team's special teams units were among the worst in the country in most categories.[17] That year, quarterback Riley Dodge, Todd Dodge's son, joined the team. The team finished with a dismal 1-11 record, its only win over FBS transitional Western Kentucky. [18]

2009[edit]

Dodge focused heavily on upgrading the team's defensive talent with several good recruits from the junior college ranks in 2009. The defense improved, giving up an average of 36.4 PPG, including 28.8 PPG in the last four games when the new talent jelled. Although the offensive line held opposing teams to 12 sacks all season, the offense had 21 fumbles and 17 interceptions during the season. The kicking game suffered from several blocked field goals, and the team finished the 2009 season with a 2–10 record.[19]

2010[edit]

UNT opted to retain Todd Dodge for the 2010 season. It was understood that Dodge had to produce a winning season to keep his job.

Going into the 2013 season, Athlon Sports rated Todd Dodge as the seventh worst college football tenure in the BCS era. [21]

Pittsburgh[edit]

Dodge was named the quarterbacks coach at the University of Pittsburgh on January 18, 2011. He held the position for one season before returning to coach high school football in Texas.[1]

Return to high school coaching[edit]

In January 2012, Dodge return to the high school coaching ranks, taking over as head coach at Marble Falls High School. The school had a 4–6 record in 2011, playing in District 25–4A that has been dominated by Lake Travis High School of Austin, Texas. Dodge chose Marble Falls, Texas, a city of 6,000 located about 45 miles (72 km) northwest of Austin, because it was "a one-school town" before leaving to coach Westlake in 2014.[1]

Personal[edit]

Dodge is married to Elizabeth Neptune, daughter of Ebbie Neptune, longtime athletic director and football coach at Westlake High School of Austin, Texas. The couple has a son, Riley Dodge, who played wide receiver and quarterback at North Texas, and a daughter, Molly.

In 1985, while finishing up his degree at Texas, Dodge was badly injured in a fire. While working as an electric meter technician for the city of Austin, his equipment overloaded and exploded. The fire left 2nd and 3rd degree burns on his hands, arms and face and nearly cost him some of his fingers.[3]